Reforms designed to end abuses of the libel laws which jeopardise freedom of speech could be on the statute book within months under a plan which is attracting cross-party support, reports the Sunday Times.

Lord Lester, the leading human rights barrister, is drawing up a defamation reform bill, which would prevent lawyers pocketing excessive fees and would also stop foreigners with tenuous links to this country from using British libel laws to silence critics.

Lester, a Liberal Democrat peer, believes his "moderate" package will secure widespread support. His bill would reform contingency fee agreements (aka no-win no-fee) that make it expensive for publishers to defend themselves.

It would also end the principle of "multiple publication" which means that internet sites can be sued over archived articles and replace it with a "single publication rule".

Its two other key reforms would prevent foreigners from suing in the British courts unless they can demonstrate that they have suffered real harm in Britain, and it would also give publications a stronger public interest defence against legal action.